Biographical Sketch

Henry O. Patterson, Ph.D.

Dr. Patterson retired in 2007 as founder and Coordinator of the Applied Psychology Program, and Assistant Professor of Psychology, at the Pennsylvania State University, Berks College, in Reading, PA. Since retiring from full-time teaching, he has taught part-time at Penn State Berks and Alvernia University, and from 2008 to 2016, he was an Adjunct Professor at Albright College in Reading teaching advanced psychology courses for Adult Degree Completion Program in Organizational Development/Applied Psychology.

He earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Richmond, a M.A. in General Experimental Psychology from Bucknell University, and a Ph.D. in Group Processes and Organizational Psychology from Temple University.

Dr. Patterson was a psychology professor at Penn State from 1971 to 2007 where he taught 14 different courses including Social Psychology, Group Dynamics, Applied Psychology, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Industrial Motivation and Work Satisfaction, and the Psychology of Adjustment. He has also taught for the Penn State World Campus distance education division, and for the Penn State Continuing Education division throughout eastern Pennsylvania. He supervised all junior and senior applied psychology majors in their required internship experiences, and was responsible for the senior Applied Psychology Capstone course. He has won teaching, service, and advising awards at Penn State, and served as Chairman and Parliamentarian of the Faculty Senate and numerous College and University committees.

Although his specialty is social and organizational psychology, his diverse research interests have ranged from cognitive development and therapy in children and adolescents, to stress management, to organizational culture, to effective management and leadership. Publications and scholarly presentations have included an introductory psychology textbook supplement, two book chapters, 53 journal and periodical articles, and 16 paper presentations at national conferences. From 2002 to 2010 he was a featured columnist writing on Leadership and Management for the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. His columns won an award from the American Society of Business Publication Editors. He is currently working on a book dealing with the ways we distort social reality in everyday life.

He has been an active member of numerous professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, American Educational Research Association, the American Society for Training and Development, and the Berks Area Psychological Society.

 Dr. Patterson’s business and management experience has included work in the family farm, golf course, and real estate businesses in Virginia, as well as owning and managing a typesetting and publishing business for 10 years in Reading. He maintains a consulting and training practice specializing in applications of psychology to education, training, human resource management, and management and leadership. His clients have included corporations, schools, colleges, and nonprofit organizations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and South Dakota.

He has been a leader in many community and professional organizations including serving as President of the Berks Area Psychological Society, the Berks County Mental Health Association, the Torch Club of Reading, and serving on various boards including the Advisory Council for the Berks County Office of Aging and the United Way Allocations Committee.

His avocations include gardening and music. He is a percussionist and the past President of the Exeter Community Concert Band, and he currently plays drums in several area bands including Swing Fever Dance Band. He attends yearly workshops and classes as a member of the Percussive Arts Society.

12-21-2020